News

PHILADELPHIA (June 14, 2006)-Members of the nursing staff who have taken all the characteristics of a Fox Chase nurse to even greater heights include Carol Cherry, Ruth Cherry, Ashley Moyer, Donna Ozovek and Celeste Schiller.

They are:

Caring enough to step out of their comfort zones to attend to the needs of others.

Compassionate to those whom they have never met before.

Creative in finding ways to channel their desire to help to where help is needed.

Collaborative and willing to work with others to get the job done.

Curious about how others live and how they could help to make their lives better.

Conscientious exhibited by being decisive and ready to put their words into action

Courageous and not afraid to go where the needs are greatest

They all accomplished these wonderful attributes by unselfishly donating their time to participate in mission trips all aver the world.

Carol Cherry, MSN, RN, C, OCN, project manager with the Margaret Dyson Family Risk Assessment Program, spent two weeks in El Salvador. She is a member of the Berwyn United Methodist Church participating in VIM (Volunteers in Mission).

A group of about 15 wound up in Ahuachapan, El Salvador, for the purpose of building a new church building. Ultimately, though, Carol had the opportunity to work in a clinic primarily caring for children eight hours a day.

Ruth Cherry, RN, (no relation to Carol), clinical manager in interventional radiology, is a member of the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church, which has a sister church in Colon, Cuba. In March, she was part of a church group who set out on a weeklong excursion to work with the citizens of Colon. They were able to teach classes on fellowship and unity, spiritual adoption, faith and healing as well as engaging in fellowship and encouraging the congregation.

Ashley Moyer, RN, staff nurse on 2 South, along with members of the Deep Run Mennonite Church, spent a week in Honduras as part of the MAMA Project. This program targets health care for mothers and children. One or two teams of 10 to 12 volunteers each go every month. Half the teams focus on providing construction services and half on providing medical care. The medical teams see up to 725 people a day.

Donna Ozovek, RN, staff nurse in the infusion room, really wanted to lend a hand to the victims of 9/11, but was unable to. When Hurricane Katrina hit last year, she saw it as an opportunity to help. Through the auspices of the Red Cross, Donna spent two and a half weeks in Lafayette, La., in the Cajun Dome, which was used to house some 4000 residents. She was able to help residents get the medication they needed, provide first aid and just lend a sympathetic ear.

Celeste Schiller, BSN, OCN, staff nurse on 1 South, generously offers her time to help those in Appalachia. Each July for seven of the past 10 years, she has joined a group of teens and adults in a ministry called the Appalachia Service Project. It focuses on home repair and providing upgrades such as indoor facilities and heating while providing young people with an opportunity to put their faith in action and develop relationships with Appalachian residents.

All these nurses are enthusiastic about their experiences and grateful for the opportunity to serve others not as fortunate as us. Kudos and hats off to this unselfish group of wonderful Fox Chase nurses, who truly exemplify the terms caring, compassionate, creative, collaborative, curious, conscientious and courageous.

Fox Chase Cancer Center, part of the Temple University Health System, is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center’s nursing program has received the Magnet recognition for excellence four consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. For more information, call 1-888-FOX CHASE or (1-888-369-2427).

Disclaimer: Temple University Health System (TUHS) neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents. Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System and by Temple University School of Medicine.